Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor Extraordinaire
by HumanTales
Summary: Hermione muses on Neville's similarities to Clark Kent.


**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** Written for author_by_night for the Harry Potter springtime_gen 2009 fic exchange.

Beta'ed by muggle_prof

_Hogwarts: A History_ was heavy in her lap, but Hermione wouldn't give up the comfort of the big book. After all, it was really the only book she'd found that answered any of her questions about Hogwarts. She was practically vibrating with excitement, but she had no one to share it with. It was a very lonely feeling.

Before she could feel too bad, though, the compartment door opened and a boy walked in. Hermione thought he might be her age, his round face looking as nervous as she felt. "H'lo," he said, "d'you mind if I stay here?"

"I'd be delighted," Hermione said, as brightly as she could manage. She hoped she sounded cheerful and not scared to death. "Hermione Granger. And you are . . . ?"

"Neville Longbottom," the boy said, standing with his hand out to shake.

Hermione took it and beamed. "It's very nice to meet you." She took a deep breath and asked, "Would you like to talk, or did you want quiet?"

"Talk, please," Neville said, looking relieved. "Er, how long have you known you have magic? I only found out when I bounced when Great Uncle Algie accidentally dropped me out the window. I was eight."

"Oh," Hermione said, her eyes wide. "I only found out when I got my letter this summer. It was delivered by an owl, can you believe it?"

They were just really getting into the discussion of the differences between growing up Muggleborn and Pureblood when Neville suddenly cried out, "Trevor!"

"Who's Trevor?" Hermione asked. She hadn't seen anyone else; could people make themselves invisible?

"My toad," Neville wailed as he stood and started searching the compartment. When they'd determined that Trevor wasn't in the compartment, Neville sighed, squared his shoulders and said, "I'll have to go knock on compartment doors and see if anyone's seen him."

"Why don't you take this side and I'll take the other," Hermione said, hoping that Trevor hadn't decided to leave the train entirely. "It'll be much more efficient."

Neville smiled at her weakly. "Thanks. You're awfully brave."

"Nonsense!" Hermione said as she lifted her chin. "I'm just being a good friend. I know we'll be great friends."

They'd found the silly toad, too, hiding in the girl's toilet. Hermione beamed at Neville, certain she was right.

* * *

Hermione would have felt worse about becoming closer friends with Harry and Ron than with Neville, but Neville seemed content with the friendships he'd made with the other Gryffindor boys, so that sorted nicely. She knew the other kids wondered how Neville had been sorted into Gryffindor, but she'd never had any doubt that he was brave. Neville's courage wasn't loud and showy, like Harry Potter's. Harry's courage did everything but grab passers-by and yell, "Look; I'm brave!" Not that Harry himself was obnoxious, but five minutes in his presence was enough to see that he was courageous. Stupid about it, sometimes, but no one could deny he was brave. Neville's courage, on the other hand, only showed when he really needed it, and the rest of the time stayed hidden, as if it thought it needed a secret identity or something.

For most of the year, Hermione didn't really think about Neville's courage, but then came the search for the Philosopher's Stone. And there was Neville, completely wrong but so determined to protect the three of them from themselves, trembling and stuttering in his pyjamas, but he would protect Gryffindor no matter the cost to himself. Hermione couldn't help loving his courage and determination, even though she had to say, "Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this. _Petrificus Totalus_!" She wished they could have brought him along, she knew he'd be really helpful, but it would have taken too long to convince him.

Professor Dumbledore seemed to understand about Neville's courage as well, when he awarded Neville's ten points last. She, Harry and Ron had earned more points, separately, than Neville had, but it was Neville's that pushed them over the top._ Great deal of bravery_! Well, she should say so. Neville deserved all the attention he was getting. He was worth so much more than everyone else seemed to think.

* * *

Hermione sat in the Great Hall and looked around, feeling numb. It felt so strange, being back here, in the public eye, after so much time on the run. So much death, so much darkness, and yet, so much hope and joy as well. Ron and Mr. Weasley were talking quietly to Percy, which was good. Percy had been wrong, but he'd come through when it counted. Hermione carefully didn't think about Fred.

Then she saw Neville, and she could feel the warmth of her smile. Neville Longbottom, who had endured everyone's scorn for so many years and now look at him. He'd never look like a heroic figure, with his round face and gentle smile, but his bruised face showed just how strong he'd been, and for how long. For this past year, no, since this war began, his courage had been showing on the outside. She wondered how many people had refused to see it until he'd taken off Nagini's head in one amazing blow. For once, his courage was as showy as Harry's.

She grinned, although she kept it on the inside; it wouldn't be diplomatic to be grinning right now. Neville saw her and smiled, and the gentle warmth of his smile was one of the many signs that this time, the peace would be right.

* * *

The laughter in the Great Hall was so very, very right. To those meeting Professor Neville Longbottom for the first time, it must seem rather odd that it was the Herbology Professor who was Head of Gryffindor House. And it wasn't as if Neville cut an imposing figure, no more than he ever had. Hermione grinned as she remembered her childhood fancy that Neville's courage had a secret identity: a Clark Kent able to explode potions with a simple stutter. Wizard children today may have heard about the leader of the underground Dumbledore's Army, the man who was given Gryffindor's Sword to chop off Nagini's head and allow Harry Potter to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort. That was certainly the obvious, showy bravery that a boy like Albus Potter understood. But Hermione would always think of Neville the brave as a frightened boy in pyjamas, determined to keep his friends out of trouble and prevent his beloved House from losing any more points. Who wouldn't love Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor Extraordinaire?

4/25/09


End file.
